Audio By Carbonatix
Two police officers who defended the U.S. Capitol from rioters on January 6, 2021, filed a lawsuit on Wednesday seeking to halt President Donald Trump's nearly $1.8 billion fund to compensate victims of political "weaponisation."
In a complaint, opens new tab filed in federal court in Washington, former Capitol Police officer Harry Dunn and Metropolitan Police Department officer Daniel Hodges alleged Trump has "created a $1.776 billion taxpayer-funded slush fund to finance the insurrectionists and paramilitary groups that commit violence in his name."
The lawsuit seeks a court order blocking payments from the fund, calling it "the most brazen act of presidential corruption this century."
Trump settled on Monday with the Internal Revenue Service, agreeing to drop his $10 billion lawsuit over the leak of his tax returns during his first term.
As part of the settlement, the Justice Department created the fund to compensate victims of political "weaponisation."
U.S. acting Attorney General Todd Blanche faced repeated questions over that fund during congressional testimony on Tuesday.
Blanche said the money could be given to members of any political party and is not limited to January 6 defendants. The standard for who will get money, he said, is defined broadly by those who experienced "weaponisation."
Dunn, a Black 15-year veteran of the police force that protects U.S. lawmakers, has been vocal about the physical and racist abuse he endured during the attack as Trump supporters sought to prevent Congress from certifying former President Joe Biden's 2020 victory, including before a bipartisan House of Representatives panel that investigated the deadly riot.
He has said he battled post-traumatic stress disorder from the event.
During the Capitol attack, Hodges was pinned in a revolving door by a rioter wielding a police shield, a moment that became a viral video.
He remains on Washington's police force and has testified before Congress about his experience.
Latest Stories
-
Ghana not yet in digital trust crisis, but warning signs are emerging – Kwami Tamakloe
4 minutes -
Digital trust crisis looming if fraud concerns are ignored – John Awuah warns
5 minutes -
Mamdani backs off pledge to arrest Netanyahu citing lack of authority
12 minutes -
Banks’ NPLs drop to 16.1%, but credit risk remains key vulnerability
12 minutes -
Business, consumer confidence positive – BoG
24 minutes -
We don’t have a trust crisis – BoG urges vigilance against rising digital fraud
32 minutes -
GIPC now an authority
37 minutes -
Mahama urges African leaders to turn health pledges into concrete investments
47 minutes -
NPP Greater Accra Regional Organiser hopeful touts experience, grassroots mobilisation record
60 minutes -
WHO warns Africa risks losing decades of health gains as external funding declines
1 hour -
Chief of Staff plants shea tree at Jubilee House to reaffirm government’s commitment to shea industry development
2 hours -
GCB Bank unlocks new pathway to credit with Tier 3 pension-backed loan
2 hours -
Mid-Year Budget: ‘MoU is not a payslip’ – Oppong Nkrumah questions gov’t jobs, economic claims
2 hours -
Prof Mills was ethical; some appointees exploited his weakness as his health declined – Prof Frimpong-Boateng
2 hours -
Halt prosecution of NDC organiser over comments made against me – Bawumia urges Police, AG
2 hours